


Who feels love?

by DennyDingle



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 21:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14839430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DennyDingle/pseuds/DennyDingle
Summary: These two idiots are in love.





	Who feels love?

 

It's almost 4am when Vanessa feels movement in the bed beside her, a couple of seconds of gentle mumbling before hearing rhythmic breathing. She opens her eyes and glances over to Charity, her face illuminated by the moonlight flooding into the room from the window.

 

Charity's beautiful when she sleeps. All traces of sarcasm removed, her features peaceful and surrounded by a halo of golden hair. Vanessa watches her sleep sometimes and wonders just how exactly they got to this point.

 

Charity begins to stir again and her hand instinctively reaches out for for her girl; she turns to face Vanessa, her hand instinctively finds its way onto the smaller woman hip and she squeezes gently. A sleepy smile spread across her face and opens her eyes.

 

"Stop it, it's weird" Charity grumbled with a playful smirk on her face.

 

"What you on about now ya mad woman?" Vanessa protested.

 

"You, watching me sleeping and you're looking at me like a love sick puppy"

She raised herself onto her elbow and placed a kiss on Vanessa's forehead.

 

"Well it's your fault isn't it? You shouldn't be so adorable" Vanessa cooed turning over, snuggling her back against the barmaid.

Charity resettled herself on the pillow they were now both sharing, closed her eyes again and pulled Vanessa in as tightly as she possibly could.

 

"It's a gift babe I'm blessed"

Charity inhaled deeply breathing in the faint scent of the vets perfume and sighed dreamily.

"If I never let you go can we stay like this forever?"

Her breathing became heavier.

 

Vanessa placed her hand on top of Charity’s over her stomach and smiled, sleepy Charity really _is_ adorable.

"Mhmm forever" she replied.

 

Charity hummed gently.

"I love you" the Landlady mumbled into her partner back.

 

Vanessa's eyes went wide and she froze, half way between bursting with joy and crying with sheer disbelief.

She bit her lip to stop a squeal escaping in the hope of buying herself sometime while she figured out how to respond. She heard delicate snoring and warm breath on her shoulder and mentally kicked herself for not saying it back. She tangled her feet with Charity's and allowed herself to drift off

 

...

 

 

The alarm went off at 8am, both woman  woke and charity hit the alarm with an almighty thud.

 

"I hate that sodding alarm"

Charity muttered as she pulled back the covers, she swung her legs round and sat on the edge of the bed.

 

Vanessa watched her as she got up walked round the bed to pick up her black silk dressing gown, tripping and stumbling on Vanessa discarded bra on the floor.

 

"Setting booby traps now are we?" Charity joked wiggling her eyebrows and pulling on her gown, kissing Vanessa's cheek before leaving the room.

 

She decided not to broach the subject, partly due to Charity's fear of commitment but mostly causes she wasn't sure she believed it.

The couple went about their day as usual, Vanessa tried to put those three little words out of her mind but the day was quiet and she had too much time to dwell on the whole scenario.

 

.........

 

"Are you listening to a single word I'm saying?"

Rhona raised her voice to make sure she was heard, snapping Vanessa out of her daze.

 

"What? Yeah, of course. Pete’s taking you out at the weekend" she hurriedly replied, trying to convince herself she was focussing on the conversation she was supposed to having.

 

"No. He's taking me away for the weekend, you're not listening at all. What's going on Ness? you've been like this all day."

Rhona couldn’t hide the was concern in her voice, Vanessa was never this unfocused.

 

 

"Charity said she loved me last night"

 

The brunette scrunched her face

"And? Is that news? She spends her free time chasing you around, you're practically glued to each other. Your children share clothes and toys because they spend so much time together it's impossible to tell who owns what".

 

Vanessa sighed deeply.

"We've never done the 'I love you' thing. It's just... I want to tell her, everyday I bite my tongue. When she said it she was half asleep. What if she didn't mean it?"

She never looked up from the ground as she spoke.

 

Rhona sprung up from her desk and rushed over to her friend, wrapping herself tightly around her arms and resting her head on the blondes shoulder.

 

"I'm sorry Ness, I thought you would have told her a long time ago. I mean it obvious you love each other, I just assumed."

 

Vanessa hugged her in return clinging to the embrace.

 

At the exact moment the door swung open and I'm marched the woman in question.

 

"Ness! Why are you ignoring me tex... Oh wow am I interrupting something?"

Charity's grin had faded and her blood was boiling

"Is there a reason your grubby hands are all over my girlfriend?"

she glared at the brunette, curling her fists into balls.

"Get off her, now!".

 

Rhona stammered in an attempted to defend herself- Vanessa interrupted before she had the chance to argue her case.

 

"Stop being an idiot Charity, today has been horrible. I needed a hug and Rhonas my friend, don't come in here screaming like a banshee, throwing round false accusations. I'm in no mood for it".

 

Charity hung her head

"I'm sorry babe, I just thought... Look I didn't know why you weren't replying to my texts, I was worried, I miss you that's all.

I wanted to ask you to come round after work but since I've made a total dick of myself I'm just gonna go"

she shuffled back towards the door to make a hasty exit when Vanessa voice called to her.

 

"I'll be there at 5" she smiled and winked.

 

Charity loudly exhaled.

"I'll be waiting for you.... Sorry Rhona" her last words drifting off as she's slinked out the door.

 

"Did that just happen?"

Rhona snapped pulling Vanessa gaze from the door.

"Did I actually just get accused of manhandling you and witness Charity apologise... twice...

Oh my god Ness you've broken her, she's totally whipped".

 

Vanessa let out a tiny giggle.

"She was out of order so I put her in her place. Sometimes her mouth kicks into gear before she thinks. She doesn't mean any harm"

 

"Well you listen to me Misses. Not many people get away with talking to Charity like that, I hope you’re aware just how under your thumb she is. She's in love with you, I'd bet my life on it! Rhona said nodding.

 

"The question is..." Vanessa replied "What do I do about it?"

 

........

 

She finished her shift and walked over to the Woolpack. Trying to fight the nerves knotting in the bottom of her stomach, she pushed open the door and walked up to the bar.

 

"A very large white wine please Chas, actually make it a bottle"

 

"Well your face is as miserable as our Charity's, what's she done this time?" Chas asked uncorking the bottle and placing it on the bar.

 

"Urgh! Long story, I'm gonna sort it out".

 

"Good luck with that, she's upstairs sulking"

 

Vanessa thanked her and picked up the bottle, grabbing two glasses as she passed Chas heading to the staircase.

 

Chas threw her hands up in the air, letting them hit her thighs on the way back down, she turned to face Faith who was serving Jimmy.

"Amazing isn't it, no one pays for anything anymore".

 

 

…….

 

Taking a deep breath she pushed opened the bedroom door with her foot, kicking it closed behind her and carefully placing the wine and glasses on the bedside table.

 

Charity sat up, brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, smiling sweetly at Vanessa.

"I'm glad you came babe"

 

"I told you I would, I've missed you too"

Vanessa said taking off her coat and clambering onto the bed.

"Can we talk about today?"

Vanessa asked while pouring the wine and passing a glass to Charity, both taking a drink.

 

Charity sighed deeply, closing her eyes and tilting her head back before meeting Vanessa's eyes.

"I jumped to the wrong conclusion and I'm sorry. It's just I know you two have... History, I saw her touching you... I was jealous"

 

"You think I'm really that fickle?" Vanessa asked twirling Charity’s long golden hair in her fingertips.

 

"I think you're gorgeous and if Rhona has even half a brain she knows you are too, seeing you that close, I just freaked. I could genuinely die of embarrassment you know"

The Landlady rested her head in her knees and groaned.

 

Vanessa put down her glass and lay on her side, The white silk camisole and matching underwear Charity was wearing caused a momentary distraction.

“Why’re you half naked in the middle of the afternoon? Not that I'm complaining you understand just curious"

Vanessa ran her fingers along the exposed skin of her lower back.

 

Charity licked her bottom lip

"Thought I could show you how sorry I am, make it up to for overreacting"

She scrunched up her face before continuing

"But I'm not doing the same for Rhona, she'll have to settle for a drink next time I see her"

Charity smirked putting the glass on the table, lying down and moving closer playing with the buttons on Vanessa shirt.

 

Vanessa laughed

"I'm sure she'll cope. We had quite a chat about you today, she reckons I've got you wrapped around my little finger"

She lightly squeezed girlfriends side.

 

"Yeah well just remind her it's my place not hers"

Her lips meeting Vanessa's and she slipped her under the hem of her shirt gently scratching the Vets abdomen.

"Do you forgive me?"

Charity stuck out her bottom lip.

 

Vanessa nodded,

"Always, I'll always forgive you, I love you don't I?"

 

Her eyes went wide, ' _Oh real smooth, gone and blew it now_ ' she thought to herself. This wasn't the plan, she wasn't meant to just blurt it out.

 

Charity sat bolt upright, retracting her hand, picking up the glass back up and downing the rest of the liquid.

"That's not fair Vanessa, don't say it if you don't mean it"

 

She cautiously looked over, expecting to see an annoyed Charity running for the door, however she was met with sorrowful green eyes, brimming with tears, threatening to fall at anytime.

 

Vanessa quickly realised Charity simply didn't believe her.

 

"I wouldn't do that" she reached out for Charity's hand, it was snatched it away again.

"Charity, I love you, I won't take it back"

 

"Be honest Ness, if you meant it, you'd have told me before now. It's not fair to mess people about"

tears ran down her face, Vanessa watched in horror, nothing crushed her more than seeing Charity cry.

 

"You want honesty... I would have told you months ago but I didn't know how you'd react, I thought you'd run a mile and I was so scared of losing you. When things get heavy, that's when they start go wrong, I just didn't want to risk messing up.

The way you stood up for me with Veronica, no one has ever done that in my whole life, I knew I was falling for you.

Remember that night, you followed me down the street and you told me you cared?

I already knew I loved you but no way did I have the guts to say it out loud."

 

She scrambled to her knees and crawled closer, kneeling right in front of Charity.

"It's ok if you don't feel the same, we can just pretend I never opened my stupid mouth. Please don't leave me."

 

"Stop!"

Charity protested

"I told you last night, and you said nothing absolutely nothing!"

 

Vanessa's heart skipped a beat.

 

"You remember it? I thought you were just mumbling in your sleep, I didn't even think you knew what you were saying, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry"

She threw herself onto Charity. One hand gripping on to her back and the other in her hair pulling her impossibly close, pouring her heart and soul into the most important kiss of her life.

 

They finally parted, breathlessly Charity rested her forehead against the smaller woman's chest.

 

"I love you" she whispered gripping Vanessa hips.

She got up into her knees, moving closer, putting one either side of the vets, sitting gently on her thighs. Resting shaky hands on her girlfriend's shoulders.

 

"Funny you should mention the night I chased you down the street 'cause that when I knew. You fell asleep in my arms with your head on my chest, I watched you, it was like a switch flipped in my head.

I shrugged it off, pushed it down and tried to ignore it but I knew.

I never saw myself falling for anyone again, I'd almost resigned myself to being alone. You changed everything.

I didn't mean to let it slip last night but I guess I'd held it in so long it was bound to just come out eventually and when you didn't say it back... I thought maybe you just didn't feel the same. Rather than face the humiliation of you trying to politely dance round the issue I pretended to be asleep, I'm embarrassed about it now but it seemed the best option at the time."

 

She ran her thumb across Vanessa's cheekbone.

"When I saw you with Rhona today... Babe, I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd scared you off and made you run to someone else. I felt like I was gonna die."

 

Vanessa slid her hands down from Charity's hips to her outer thighs, delicately rubbing soft skin.

 

"I've spent the whole day stewing over last night, Rhona was just trying to comfort me she could see I was in bits. I hadn't replied to any texts because I was trying to get my head straight.

Charity, you and the boys are my whole world don't ever forget that, I can't see my life without you in it, I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner but I'm not sorry I'm in love with you."

 

Charity moved off Vanessa lap, tugged off the white camisole over her head and threw it on the dresser.

She shoved Vanessa backwards on to the bed with enough force to knock the wind out of her before grasping onto her shirt and forcing it open, popping off 5 black buttons.

 

She towered above the smaller blonde, leaning down, her hand reaching for the zip on the Vets jeans. She whispered into her ear.

 

"Show me you love me"

 


End file.
